Character Interview and Giveaway: In the Raw by Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels

TNA is please to be hosting Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels today on their In the Raw Blog Tour. They’ve brought the book’s MCs, Ethan Martin and Jamie Lassiter, with them today to answer a few questions about themselves and about their story. THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

Big thanks to Lisa and the crew at The Novel Approach for having us here on release day. Smishy hugs all around.

Character Interview with Ethan Martin and Jamie Lassiter

1) For Both: Why culinary school?

Jamie: I loved the idea of creating something for someone to enjoy from nothing. When I was younger and in prep school, I hung out in the kitchens and begged the staff to let me help. It’s a stress reliever and a way for me to express myself in a way that’s not so confining and rigid.

Ethan: Food is the ultimate expression of love. I grew up taking care of my sister and us cooking together is some of my best food memories. I wanted to take that experience and apply it to something I could do and make other people happy. Plus, I really love to make a fucking steak properly.

2) For Both: What was your first thought when you saw Jamie/Ethan?

Ethan: My first thought was, “Fuck. This guy is hot.” Then I saw his loafers and died a little bit on the inside.

Jamie: My first thought was, “I wonder how far down his ink goes.” *stares off into space*

Ethan: *smirks* And people think I’m the dirty one out of the two of us, Golden Boy.

3) For Ethan: What would winning the scholarship mean to you?

Ethan: Winning the scholarship would obviously mean I was on the path I was meant to be on. But more than that, it would mean not having to scrape by for every dollar to pay my way through school. I have financial aid and some loans, but it would be nice, for once, to not have to stress over money for once and just enjoy culinary school.

3) For Jamie: Your parents are well off and your father is in the food business – why is winning the scholarship so important to you?

Jamie: For me, winning the scholarship would allow me the freedom to choose what I wanted to do with my career. My parents can be a tad bit controlling…

Ethan: A tad?

Jamie: Okay, a lot controlling. So winning the scholarship would help me achieve my dream of being a world-class chef without having to get the approval from my parents to do it.

4) For Both: What is the one thing about the other person that drives you crazy?

Jamie: Good crazy? Ethan’s tattoos and piercings. Pretty sure I don’t need to elaborate on the why for that. Bad crazy? Ethan has this uncanny way of making me want to hit him and kiss him at the same time.

Ethan: Hey! That’s a gift – don’t knock it, Golden Boy. What drives me crazy about Jamie? His dad.Period. He’s a grade-A asshole who should have been put in his place a long time ago. It drives me batshit crazy that Jamie’s been under his thumb for as long as he has. Good crazy? Let’s just say it’s always the quiet ones you should watch out for. *smirks*

5) For Both: We’ve heard you like to bowl. Any thoughts about that?

Jamie: Well, the trick to having the perfect game is to start off with clean balls.

Ethan: *snickers* Clean balls are most definitely important for a proper game. But sometimes you just have to get down and dirty and cup the ball in exactly the right way to get the desired results.

Jamie: *swallows hard* Weare talking about bowling, right?

Ethan: *smirks*

Stay tuned for the continuation of Ethan and Jamie’s story in the forthcoming release from Carina Press,In the Fire, coming November 3, 2014.

James Lassiter has had a crush on fellow culinary student Ethan Martin for three years, but has never had the guts to make a move. Putting himself out there is hard, especially when under the thumb—and wallet—of his overbearing parents. Now that bad boy chef Ethan—who is always vying with Jamie for best in class—is struggling with the pastry course, Jamie suddenly has a reason to reach out.

Ethan doesn’t mean to be an ass—okay, so mostly he does—but even though he’s secretly hot for Jamie, he sure as hell doesn’t want help with pastry. Ever since his dad walked out, Ethan has been the one to hold things together and he’s done fine on his own. Except that he can’t get his cake to rise.

Jamie could be the answer to what Ethan’s been missing his whole life—someone to depend on. But with the two competing for the same scholarship, things suddenly get too hot to handle. And if Jamie finds the strength to go for what he wants, he isn’t about to settle for what he needs.